Macbeth Act 3 Scene 4 - Banquo's ghost appears Explanatory Notes for Act 3, Scene 4 From Macbeth. Ed. Thomas Marc Parrott. New York: American Book Co. (Line numbers have been altered.) ______ From every point of view this superb scene is one of the most remarkable in the whole play. The poetry rises to the highest pitch, and the theatrical effects are overwhelming. But it is, perhaps, most noteworthy for the light it casts upon Macbeth's state of mind. As, from the point of view of plot construction, the last scene marked the climax of the play, so, to the student of character, this scene is the turning-point in Macbeth's career. Up to this time, with all his hesitation and wild fancies and gloomy suspicions, he has had strength of mind and self-control enough to push forward to his objects and to hide from public view the bloody means by which he has obtained them. In this scene, however, we see a fatal collapse of his powers. Confronted by the spectre of his murdered victim he loses all self-control, and before the assembled nobility breaks out into speeches which must inevitably betray his guilt.

It is interesting to compare his behaviour immediately after the discovery of the murder of Duncan with his actions in the presence of Banquo's ghost. In the former case he retained all his presence of mind; his speeches, though perhaps somewhat exaggerated, conveyed the impression of wild grief for the king's death, and his act of putting the bewildered grooms to instant death was, perhaps, the most practical thing that he could have done at such a time. In the banquet scene, after one feeble effort to play his part, he loses consciousness of the witnesses and speaks to the ghost as if they were alone together. Equally noticeable is the fact that in this scene he passes altogether beyond his wife's control. She had been able to brace him up to the murder of Duncan and to control and direct him in the outburst of excitement which followed. In this scene, however, she is utterly unable to restrain him, and is forced to listen helplessly to the ravings that betray his guilty secret. In the dialogue between Macbeth and his wife which follows the retirement of the guests, we see evident signs of moral degeneration as well as of the collapse of his mental powers.

His expressed determination to seek out the witches and to wade through a sea of blood to obtain his objects shows how far he has fallen from the Macbeth who was horrified by the suggestion implied in the witches' greeting, and who needed all the powerful influence of his wife to nerve him to the murder of Duncan. The mention of Macduff and the witches serves also to link this scene to those of the next act, and so provides for continuity of action. 1. degrees, ranks. 1, 2. at first And last, from the beginning to the end of the feast, once for all. 3. Ourself, we (the royal plural). 5. keeps her state, remains in her throne; the "state" meant originally the canopy over the chair in which a king sat. 6. require, ask for. 9. encounter thee with their hearts' thanks, meet thy greeting with hearty thanks. 10. Both sides, of the long table at which the guests are sitting. Macbeth is playing the part of the genial king who leaves his throne to mingle with his nobles. He says he will sit down among them, but his anxiety to get news of the assault on Banquo keeps him on his feet.

At this moment he catches sight of the murderer at the door, and telling the nobles that in a few moments he'll drink a formal toast, a "measure," with them, he turns to the door and converses in low tones with the assassin. 11. large, unrestrained. 11. anon, soon. 14. 'Tis better ... within, An ungrammatical but very emphatic way of saying, "Banquo's blood is better on your face than in his body." 21. my fit, Macbeth speaks as if he were subject to an intermittent fever. He had hoped to be wholly cured of it by the death of Banquo and Fleance, but with the news of the latter's escape, his "fit" of fear attacks him again. 21. I had else been perfect, I would otherwise, i.e. if Fleance had been killed, have been completely well. 22. founded, firmly based. 23. general, free to go everywhere. 23. casing, enveloping. 24. cabin'd cribb'd, shut up in a narrow space, as in a cabin, or a hovel. 24, 25.

bound in To, confined along with. 25. saucy, insolent. 27. trenched, carved. 29. worm, snake. 29. By Banquo's death Macbeth is, at least, relieved of his present fears. Fleance, although one of the hated house to whom the witches have prophesied that the kingdom shall descend, is as yet too young to undertake anything against Macbeth. 32. hear ourselves, talk with each other. 33. the feast is sold, like a meal at an inn. 33. cheer, welcome. 37. Meeting, a formal gathering. 40. roof'd, under one roof. 40. our country's honour, the best men in the country. 41. graced, gracious. 42, 43. who may ... mischance, I hope I may rather be obliged to rebuke him as an unkind friend who forgot his engagement to sup with us, than to pity him for any misfortune which may have prevented him from keeping it. This speech is shamelessly hypocritical, for Macbeth is secretly rejoicing that his dreaded enemy will trouble him no more.

All the more overwhelming is the effect when he turns and perceives the ghost. 46. The table's full. Macbeth at first does not realize what has happened; he only sees that all the seats at the long table are occupied. When Lennox calls his attention to the seat reserved for him, Macbeth recognizes Banquo's ghost sitting in it. 48. moves, excites. 49. Which of you have done this? At the sight of the ghost Macbeth utterly loses his self-command. He makes, however, one vain attempt to shake off the overpowering sense of guilt by shifting the burden of the crime upon some member of the company. 53, 54. my lord ... youth. Note the quick tact with which Lady Macbeth comes to her husband's help. Laying the blame of Macbeth's sudden emotion and wild words upon a disorder which has afflicted him from his youth, she induces the nobles, who are rising excitedly from their places, to sit down again. Then she leaves the throne and hurries to Macbeth. Catching his arm, she draws him aside and attempts in low whispers to shame him into presence of mind by taunting him with cowardice. 55.

upon a thought, in a moment. 56. note, pay attention to. 57. passion, suffering. 57. You shall offend him, you are bound to make him worse, do him harm. 60. proper, fine. 61. painting of your fear, an image created by your fear, like the air-drawn dagger. 62. air-drawn, drawn in the air, imaginary. 63. flaws, outbursts. 64. become, suit. 64. Impostors to true fear, mere counterfeits when compared to those caused by an object truly to be feared. 66. Authorized, the accent is on the second syllable. 68. stool, chair. 71. charnel-houses, places where the bones of the dead are stored. 72. monuments, tombs. 72, 73. our monuments Shall be the maws of kites, our graves shall be in the stomachs of carrion crows. Macbeth seems to think that if the dead body were torn to pieces by kites, it would be impossible for the ghost to rise. 73. An Alexandrine with the feminine ending.

76. Ere humane statute ... weal, before laws passed by men, "humane statute," freed the country from anarchy and rendered it civilized. "Humane" is the regular spelling for "human" with Shakespeare; "weal" means "the commonwealth," "the nation"; "gentle" is used to characterize the nation as it was after the passage of the laws. The line is a characteristic example of the compact brevity and force of Shakespeare's later style. 81. mortal murders, deadly wounds. Macbeth is thinking of the murderer's report in line 27. 83, 84. My worthy lord ... lack you. Lady Macbeth sees that it is useless to try to shame Macbeth back to his senses. She returns to the throne, and, speaking to him quietly as if nothing had happened, calls his attention to the fact that he is neglecting his guests. The appeal succeeds in rousing him, and he turns to the company with an excuse for his strange behaviour, and proposes a toast. In the effort to play his part, however, he overdoes it, drinks to the health of Banquo, and expresses the wish that he were present.

This piece of bravado is promptly and effectively punished by the return of the ghost. 85. muse, wonder. 91. we thirst, we are eager to drink. 92. all to all, all good wishes to all of you. 92. Our duties, and the pledge, a formula equivalent to "we pay our homage to you as king, and drink the health you propose." 93. Avaunt! Note the change in Macbeth's tone. He is no longer overcome with fear at the sight of the ghost, but rather roused to wild anger. Lady Macbeth does not dare to address him, but devotes herself to the almost impossible task of inducing the peers to treat his words and actions as things of no importance. 95. speculation, power of sight. 101. arm'd, clad in armour. The reference is to the thick hide of the rhinoceros. 101. Hyrcan, Hyrcanian. Hyrcania was a district in central Asia supposed to be full of tigers. 102. nerves, muscles. 105. If trembling I inhabit then. There has been an immense amount of discussion over this passage.

If "inhabit" is taken intransitively in the sense of continuing in a certain place, the meaning of the passage is plain enough. "Come to life again," says Macbeth, "and challenge me to a duel. If I remain trembling at home, call me a coward." 105. protest, declare. 106. The baby of a girl, a little girl's doll, or, perhaps, the baby of a girlish mother, i.e. a puny infant. 109. displaced, driven away. 110. disorder. The word applies to Macbeth's conduct, not to any disorder among the nobles. 110. admired, amazing. 111. overcome, pass over. 112-115. You make me ... cheeks, you make me seem a stranger to myself, i.e. forget my natural quality of manhood, when I see that such a sight has no effect on you. Macbeth is addressing his wife, not the guests, whom he no longer notices. 113. disposition, character. 113. owe, own, possess. 117. speak not.

Lady Macbeth interposes hastily lest Macbeth should tell the nobles plainly what it was he saw. She herself has not seen the ghost, but from what she knew of her husband and his hatred of Banquo, and from the hints he had dropped in the afternoon, it was not difficult for her to guess what the vision was that had so affected him. 119. stand not ... going, do not depart ceremoniously in the order of your ranks. 122. It will have blood. With the departure of the guests Macbeth relapses into melancholy brooding over the consequences of his deed. He feels sure that the murder of Banquo will be discovered and that he will have to pay the penalty. Note that Lady Macbeth makes no effort either to reproach or to comfort him; she sees plainly that her influence over him is gone. All she can do is to try to get him to sleep and forget his thoughts. 124. Augures, auguries. 124. understood relations, the secret relations between things, understood by diviners and soothsayers. 125. maggot-pies, magpies. 125. choughs, jack-daws. 126.

What is the night? What time of the night is it? 127. Almost at odds with morning, so near day that you can hardly tell whether it is night or morning. 128, 129. How say'st thou ... bidding? What do you say to Macduff's refusing to accept our royal invitation to the feast. 130. by the way, incidentally, i.e. I have not received a direct refusal from Macduff, but I know that he will not come. Macbeth explains the source of his information in the following reference to the paid spies he keeps in the houses of his nobles. 139. Strange thirds. Macbeth is perhaps referring to his designs against Macduff. 142. My strange and self-abuse, my strange self-deception. Macbeth speaks as if he were now convinced that the vision of Banquo was only a deception of his senses, 143. the initiate fear, the fear of the novice. 144. young in deed, inexperienced in deeds of bloodshed. ________ How to cite the explanatory notes: Shakespeare, William. Macbeth. Ed. Thomas Marc Parrott.

New York: American Book Co., 1904. Shakespeare Online. 10 Aug. 2010. < >. ________ Characteristics of Elizabethan Tragedy Differences Between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth "The antithesis between the two is that between the practical life and the intellectual, and the effects of this difference are everywhere apparent. Macbeth is bold and resolute in the moment of action; he can kill a king, and he has a curious gift of ready speech throughout, which avails him to answer unwelcome questions. But when there is nothing to be actually done he is devoid of self-control; he cannot wait nor stand still; he becomes a prey to countless terrible imaginings; he is wildly superstitious. In all this Lady Macbeth is the exact converse; she has banished all superstition from her soul; she is strong enough of will to quell her husband's cowardly fears; she can scheme and plot, but she cannot act; she must leave the actual doing of the deadly deed to Macbeth." E. K. Chambers. Read on... ____ Why does Macbeth see Banquo's ghost in Act 3, Scene 4 of Macbeth?

| eNotes Why does Macbeth see Banquo's ghost in Act 3, Scene 4 of Macbeth? William Delaney | (Level 3) Distinguished Educator Posted on April 15, 2014 at 7:12 PM Banquo is an important character in the play, and therefore Shakespeare gave the part to an important actor. Shakespeare probably disliked killing this character off so early in the play. While he was writing the script he probably thought of bringing Banquo back as a ghost, thereby getting more exposure for the actor playing the part. Once Shakespeare had established that Banquo was a ghost, he could use the same actor yet again in the scene in which Macbeth confronts the three witches and demands to know more about the future.

I conjure you, by that which you profess, Howe'er you come to know it, answer me: Though you untie the winds and let them fight Against the churches, though the yeasty waves Confound and swallow navigation up, Though bladed corn be lodged and trees blown down, Though castles topple on their warders’ heads, Though palaces and pyramids do slope Their heads to their foundations, though the treasure Of nature's germens tumble all together Even till destruction sicken, answer me To what I ask you. (Act 4, Scene 1) The witches conjure three apparitions and finally show Macbeth eight kings with the ghost of Banquo standing behind them to symbolize that they are his own descendants. Macbeth realizes that his assassination of Duncan was futile, since he only made it possible for Banquo's progeny to inherit the throne. Shakespeare got extra exposure out of actors in other plays besides Macbeth. In Hamlet, for example, he has the ghost of Hamlet's father appear several times. First the ghost appears to Horatio, Marcellus and Bernardo in Act 1, Scene 1. Then it appears again in Act 1, Scenes 4 and 5.

And much later in the play it will appear to Hamlet when he is having his violent confrontation with his mother in Act 3, Scene 4. There was no great necessity for using the ghost again in Act 3, but it gives the actor and an interesting character more exposure. Shakespeare must have used minor actors many times in different roles in the same play. It seems likely, for instance, that the same boy actor played Portia and Calpurnia in Julius Caesar wearing different gowns and different wigs. Sources: Let's start with the fact that Macbeth is paranoid. Not only does he ask the murderers twice if Banquo is really dead, but he also admits that he is uneasy because Fleance got away: MURDERER: Most royal sir, MACBETH: Then comes my fit again: I had else been perfect, His paranoia shows again in this quote: MACBETH: It will have blood: they say blood will have blood. Stones have been known to move and trees to speak. He is afraid of what he has brought down upon himself, and begins to believe that his evil actions will have consequences. Also, remember that Banquo had been Macbeth's best friend.

Macbeth had offerred Banquo "honor" in Act II, scene i, if only Banquo agreed to "cleave to [Macbeth's] consent." Although Banquo angers Macbeth by refusing, this was still someone with whom he had fought in battle, a true ally. To have been the instrument of his death is bound to create guilt. We know from Macbeth's reaction to Duncan's murder, when he says he shall never sleep again, that he is capable of guilt. The ghost is a manifestation of that, just as the dagger was a manifestation of his ambition. Sources: SparkNotes: Macbeth: Act 3, scenes 4–6 Act 3, scenes 4–6 Act 3, scenes 4–6 → Act 3, scenes 1–3 Act 3, scenes 4–6, page 2 page 1 of 2 Summary: Act 3, scene 4 Onstage stands a table heaped with a feast. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth enter as king and queen, followed by their court, whom they bid welcome. As Macbeth walks among the company, the first murderer appears at the doorway.

Macbeth speaks to him for a moment, learning that Banquo is dead and that Fleance has escaped. The news of Fleance’s escape angers Macbeth—if only Fleance had died, he muses, his throne would have been secure. Instead, “the worm that’s fled / Hath nature that in time will venom breed” (3.4.28–29). Returning to his guests, Macbeth goes to sit at the head of the royal table but finds Banquo’s ghost sitting in his chair. Horror-struck, Macbeth speaks to the ghost, which is invisible to the rest of the company. Lady Macbeth makes excuses for her husband, saying that he occasionally has such “visions” and that the guests should simply ignore his behavior. Then she speaks to Macbeth, questioning his manhood and urging him to snap out of his trance. The ghost disappears, and Macbeth recovers, telling his company: “I have a strange infirmity which is nothing / To those that know me” (3.4.85–86). As he offers a toast to company, however, Banquo’s specter reappears and shocks Macbeth into further reckless outbursts.

Continuing to make excuses for her husband, Lady Macbeth sends the alarmed guests out of the room as the ghost vanishes again. Macbeth mutters that “blood will have blood” and tells Lady Macbeth that he has heard from a servant-spy that Macduff intends to keep away from court, behavior that verges on treason (3.4.121). He says that he will visit the witches again tomorrow in the hopes of learning more about the future and about who may be plotting against him. He resolves to do whatever is necessary to keep his throne, declaring: “I am in blood / Stepped in so far that, should I wade no more, / Returning were as tedious as go o’er” (3.4.135–137). Lady Macbeth says that he needs sleep, and they retire to their bed. Read the side-by-side translation of Act 3, scene 4 → Summary: Act 3, scene 5 Upon the stormy heath, the witches meet with Hecate, the goddess of witchcraft. Hecate scolds them for meddling in the business of Macbeth without consulting her but declares that she will take over as supervisor of the mischief.

She says that when Macbeth comes the next day, as they know he will, they must summon visions and spirits whose messages will fill him with a false sense of security and “draw him on to his confusion” (3.5.29). Hecate vanishes, and the witches go to prepare their charms. Read the side-by-side translation of Act 3, scene 5 → Summary: Act 3, scene 6 That night, somewhere in Scotland, Lennox walks with another lord, discussing what has happened to the kingdom. Banquo’s murder has been officially blamed on Fleance, who has fled. Nevertheless, both men suspect Macbeth, whom they call a “tyrant,” in the murders of Duncan and Banquo. The lord tells Lennox that Macduff has gone to England, where he will join Malcolm in pleading with England’s King Edward for aid. News of these plots has prompted Macbeth to prepare for war. Lennox and the lord express their hope that Malcolm and Macduff will be successful and that their actions can save Scotland from Macbeth.

Read the side-by-side translation of Act 3, scene 6 → Analysis: Act 3, scenes 4–6 Throughout Macbeth, as in many of Shakespeare’s tragedies, the supernatural and the unnatural appear in grotesque form as harbingers of wickedness, moral corruption, and downfall. Here, the appearance of Banquo’s silent ghost, the reappearance of the witches, and the introduction of the goddess Hecate all symbolize the corruption of Scotland’s political and moral health. In place of the dramatization of Macbeth’s acts of despotism, Shakespeare uses the scenes involving supernatural elements to increase the audience’s sense of foreboding and ill omen. When Macbeth’s political transgressions are revealed, Scotland’s dire situation immediately registers, because the transgressions of state have been predicted by the disturbances in nature. In Macbeth’s moral landscape, loyalty, honor, and virtue serve either as weak or nonexistent constraints against ambition and the lust for power. In the physical landscape that surrounds him, the normal rules of nature serve as weak constraints against the grotesqueries of the witches and the horrific ghost of Banquo. 1 In Macbeth, where does Banquo's ghost appear?

| eNotes In Macbeth, where does Banquo's ghost appear? Susan Hurn | College Teacher | (Level 1) Educator Emeritus Posted on March 20, 2009 at 9:34 AM The ghost of Banquo appears in the fourth scene of Act III as Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are entertaining their guests at dinner. Before the banquet, Macbeth had engaged the services of two murderers to waylay Banquo and Fleance and kill them; during the banquet, one of the murderers appears with news that Banquo is dead but Fleance has escaped. This news unnerves Macbeth, but at his wife's direction, he tries to hide his discomfort and play the part of host. Quite cynically and ironically, he welcomes his guests by wishing that Banquo were among them. It is a short time later that Banquo's ghost, covered in blood, appears, but only Macbeth can see him. The sight unhinges Macbeth completely. He is terrorized. He speaks directly to Banquo's ghost: Thou canst not say I [killed you]. Never shake Thy gory locks at me.

Lady Macbeth tries to control her husband's strange behavior and to explain it to their guests, but Macbeth's fear, and what appears to be insane babbling, cannot be contained as he continues to react to Banquo's ghost. Finally, Lady Macbeth dismisses the guests, asking them to leave immediately. like 1 dislike 0 English IV: Monday, November 25-Banquo's Ghost Monday, November 25-Banquo's Ghost Macbeth's lines to Banquo's ghost give important clues about the ghost's appearance. Macbeth: Never shake / Thy gory locks at me. Macbeth: Ay, and a bold one, that dare look on that / Which might appal the devil. Macbeth: Avaunt and quit my sight! Let the earth hide thee! / Thy bones are marrowless, thy blood is cold. The Elizabethans were more willing than modern people to believe in supernatural phenomena. This partially accounts for the appearance of ghosts in Shakespeare's plays. They are dramatically effective because they help to set the atmosphere of the play as well as catch the audience's interest. In Macbeth, the appearance of Banquo's ghost is also effective because it is an extension of Macbeth's troubled mind.

The dramatic use of ghosts comes from a long tradition. Because ghost scenes can easily turn into comedy, their staging is crucial. Ghosts in Elizabethan plays were represented in various ways. In Macbeth, for example, some directors had Banquo appear in bloodied rags, rising from the trap door on stage; others had him appear in a white sheet or sprinkled with flour. In some modern versions of the play, the ghost does not appear. Critics disagree whether even Shakespeare intended the ghost to be physically present on stage. Answer the following questions in prose form. Give a complete answer that makes specific references to the play. Your response should be at least eight sentences. How does Shakespeare prepare his audience for the appearance of Banquo's ghost? Why does it not seem out of place? Why is the ghost's silence dramatically effective? Give evidence from the scene to show that Shakespeare intended to have Banquo's ghost physically appear on the stage. How would you stage this scene? Do you think it would be more effective to have the ghost appear on the stage? What kind of costuming and make-up would you use? Why? Do you think Banquo's ghost might be staged differently in the movies? Why?

Posted by No Fear Shakespeare: Macbeth: Characters No Fear Shakespeare Act 1, Scene 1 Macbeth A Scottish general and the thane of Glamis. (“Thane” is a Scottish title of nobility, and Glamis is a village in eastern Scotland.) Macbeth is led to wicked thoughts by the prophecies of three witches, especially after their prophecy that he will be made thane of Cawdor comes true. Macbeth is a brave soldier and a powerful man, but he is not virtuous. He is easily tempted into murder to fulfill his ambitions to the throne, and once he commits his first crime and is crowned king of Scotland, he embarks on further atrocities with increasing ease. Macbeth cannot maintain his power because his increasingly brutal actions make him hated as a tyrant. Unlike Shakespeare’s other great villains, such as Iago in Othello and Richard III in Richard III, who revel in their villainy, Macbeth is never comfortable in his role as a criminal. He shows at the beginning of the play that he knows right from wrong, and chooses to do wrong without being able to justify it to himself. Ultimately, he is unable to bear the psychic consequences of his atrocities.

Lady Macbeth Macbeth’s wife, a deeply ambitious woman who lusts for power and position. Early in the play she seems to be the stronger and more ruthless of the two, as she urges her husband to kill Duncan and seize the crown. After the bloodshed begins, however, Lady Macbeth falls victim to guilt and madness to an even greater degree than her husband. Her conscience affects her to such an extent that she eventually commits suicide. At the beginning of the play, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth apparently feel quite passionately for one another, and Lady Macbeth exploits her sexual hold over Macbeth as a means to persuade him to commit murder. However, their shared alienation from the world, occasioned by their partnership in crime, does not bring them closer together, but instead seems to numb their feelings for one another. The Three Witches Three mysterious hags who plot mischief against Macbeth using charms, spells, and prophecies. Their predictions prompt him to murder Duncan, to order the deaths of Banquo and his son, and to blindly believe in his own immortality. The play leaves the witches' true nature unclear we don’t really know whether they make their own prophecies come true, or where they get their knowledge from.

In some ways they resemble the mythological Fates, who impersonally wove the threads of human destiny. They clearly take a perverse delight in using their knowledge of the future to toy with and destroy human beings. Banquo The brave, noble general whose children, according to the witches' prophecy, will inherit the Scottish throne. Like Macbeth, Banquo thinks ambitious thoughts, but he does not translate those thoughts into action. In a sense, Banquo’s character stands as a rebuke to Macbeth, since he represents the path Macbeth chose not to take: a path in which ambition need not lead to betrayal and murder. Appropriately, then, it is Banquo’s ghost and not Duncan’s that haunts Macbeth. In addition to embodying Macbeth’s guilt for killing Banquo, the ghost also reminds Macbeth that he did not emulate Banquo’s reaction to the witches' prophecy. King Duncan The good king of Scotland whom Macbeth, ambitious for the crown, murders. Duncan is the model of a virtuous, benevolent ruler. His death symbolizes the destruction of an order in Scotland that can be restored only when Duncan’s line, in the person of Malcolm, once more occupies the throne.

Macduff A Scottish nobleman hostile to Macbeth’s kingship from the start. He eventually becomes a leader of the crusade to unseat Macbeth. The crusade’s mission is to place the rightful king, Malcolm, on the throne, but Macduff also desires vengeance for Macbeth’s murder of Macduff’s wife and young son. Malcolm The son of Duncan, whose restoration to the throne signals Scotland’s return to order following Macbeth’s reign of terror. Malcolm becomes a serious challenge to Macbeth with Macduff’s aid (and the support of England). Prior to this, he appears weak and uncertain of his own power, as when he and Donalbain flee Scotland after their father’s murder. Hecate The goddess of witchcraft, who helps the three witches work their mischief on Macbeth. Fleance Banquo’s son, who survives Macbeth’s attempt to murder him. At the end of the play, Fleance’s whereabouts are unknown. Presumably, he may come to rule Scotland, fulfilling the witches' prophecy that Banquo’s sons will sit on the Scottish throne.

Lennox StudyMacbeth - Banquo's Ghost Banquo's Ghost Act 3, scene 4: The Ghost of Banquo What does this scene tell us about Macbeth? His anxieties are getting the best of him. Although he seemed sure-footed in the previous few scenes, where he was hiring murders to assassinate Banquo and Fleance, he now seems incapable of hiding his guilt. Although Lady Macbeth appeared troubled by her own guilt in the previous scene, she is, once again, in power, but at this point her strength is in covering up the fears and anxieties of her husband rather than telling him what to do. She must explain to their banquet guests the strange behaviours of Macbeth, his hallucinations being a strange malady that he was been suffering from ‘since childhood’. Internal Battle or Supernatural By the presence of Banquo’s ghost, the audience is not explained whether the ghost haunts Macbeth, as a supernatural being or whether it is all in his head, a result of his beaten conscious and unrelenting guilt.

Metaphysical dread versus the Supernatural (how many of their hallucinations / visions are created by their guilt and how many are of supernatural origins?) What is the significance of it being Banquo’s Ghost and not Duncan? Shakespeare uses Banquo as a moral pillar for Macbeth, illustrating the righteous path, without bloodshed / deceit or murder. Banquo is an example of the way Macbeth should have reacted to the prophecies of the weird sisters, he should have waited for fate to lead him to his destiny rather than stepping in and making it for himself. At this point in the play, Macbeth is seen as corrupt, both by the audience as well as by the other characters. Macduff and Malcom have fled to England to seek help King Edward, to rid Scotland of the evil, tyrant Macbeth. Indicates Macbeth’s guilty conscience It is debated by critics, whether Banquo’s ghost is real or a hallucination Audience superstition Guilt and madness of Macbeth “The comes my fit again”(3.4.21); “Thou canst not say I did it”(4.3.50) Banquo is real?

Shakespeare made his Banquo out to be an honourable soldier with a strong moral standing, unlike the interpretation by Raphael Holinshed who described Banquo, in his historical chronicles, as an accomplice in the murder of King Duncan. It has been speculated that Shakespeare made slight changes to the character of Banquo, to please King James I, who was thought to be a descendent of the real Banquo. Shakespeare’s Banquo was given strong moral attributes, standing in opposition to the character of Macbeth and his dishonourable actions. Banquo is a foil to Macbeth. Foil: a character in a work who, by sharp contrast, serves to stress and highlight the distinctive temperament of the protagonist. Banquo Banquo in Macbeth: Character Analysis, Death & Characteristics - Video & Lesson Transcript | Study.com Banquo in Macbeth: Character Analysis, Death & Characteristics Watch short & fun videos Start Your Free Trial Today An error occurred trying to load this video. Try refreshing the page, or contact customer support. You must create an account to continue watching Register for a free trial Are you a student or a teacher?

I am a student Start Your Free Trial To Continue Watching As a member, you'll also get unlimited access to over lessons in math, English, science, history, and more. Plus, get practice tests, quizzes, and personalized coaching to help you succeed. Coming up next: King Duncan in Macbeth: Character Analysis, Murder & Quotes You're on a roll. Keep up the good work! Your next lesson will play in 10 seconds 0:26 Encounter with Witches Add to Add to Add to Want to watch this again later? Log in or sign up to add this lesson to a Custom Course. Custom Courses are courses that you create from Study.com lessons. Use them just like other courses to track progress, access quizzes and exams, and share content. Teachers Organize and share selected lessons with your class. Make planning easier by creating your own custom course. Students Create a new course from any lesson page or your dashboard. From any lesson page: Click "Add to" located below the video player and follow the prompts to name your course and save your lesson. From your dashboard: Click on the "Custom Courses" tab, then click "Create course". Next, go to any lesson page and begin adding lessons.

Edit your Custom Course directly from your dashboard. Personalize: Name your Custom Course and add an optional description or learning objective. Organize: Create chapters to group lesson within your course. Remove and reorder chapters and lessons at any time. Share your Custom Course or assign lessons and chapters. Teacher Edition: Share or assign lessons and chapters by clicking the "Teacher" tab on the lesson or chapter page you want to assign. Students' quiz scores and video views will be trackable in your "Teacher" tab. Premium Edition: You can share your Custom Course by copying and pasting the course URL. Only Study.com members will be able to access the entire course. Create an account to start this course today Try it free for 5 days! Lesson Transcript Instructor: Debbie Notari In this lesson we will explore the character of Banquo from Shakespeare's tragedy 'Macbeth'. Banquo nobly stands out as Macbeth's foil, and after his murder, he returns to haunt Macbeth, gravely reminding him that crime does not pay. Banquo and Macbeth Banquo is a Scottish general who fights alongside Macbeth, the namesake of Shakespeare's play.

Although Macbeth's selfishly ambitious nature is hidden at first, it becomes more and more clear that he craves power and position in the kingdom. The characteristics of the two men also become more clear as the events of the play unfold. Encounter with Witches As Macbeth and Banquo return from a victorious battle, they encounter three witches whose words change both of their destinies. Banquo courageously confronts the witches, saying, 'Live you? Or are you aught that man may question? You seem to understand me, by each at once her choppy finger laying upon her skinny lips' (1.3). Not every character would confront these three creepy women, but Banquo is both bold and curious. When Banquo hears the favorable predictions the witches give to Macbeth - that he, the current Thane of Glamis, will become the Thane of Cawdor and then the king, he says: 'Are ye fantastical, or that indeed Which outwardly ye show? My noble partner You greet with present grace and great prediction Of noble having and of royal hope, That he seems rapt withal. To me you speak not.

If you can look into the seeds of time And say which grain will grow and which will not, Speak, then, to me, who neither beg nor fear Your favors nor your hate' (1.3). Banquo asks the witches to give him a prediction as well, since he doesn't fear whatever they may say, good or bad. Before disappearing, the witches respond cryptically, saying: 'Lesser than Macbeth and greater,' 'Not so happy, yet much happier' and 'Thou shalt get kings, though thou be none.' For Banquo, the witches have predicted that he won't be as great as Macbeth. They also say that he won't be as happy, but somehow happier! Also, it seems that though his descendants will become kings; Banquo will not. You might think it odd that both Banquo and Macbeth so easily believe the witches' prophesies without stepping back to consider the source of these predictions. However ambitious both Macbeth and Banquo are, the two men respond to these prophesies in two radically different ways that further highlight their characters. Prophesies Fulfilled The witches disappear, and their words seem a like a dream - hardly anything to be taken seriously.

That is until Banquo and Macbeth meet up with a friend of the court, Ross, who informs Macbeth that the current Thane of Cawdor, a traitor, has been defeated. Macbeth has been chosen to take his place. In shock, Banquo states: 'What, can the devil speak true?'(3.1). At this point, both Banquo and Macbeth begin to wonder if all that the witches predicted could come true. Banquo must have wondered what they meant by saying that he would not be so happy, but happier, or lesser than Macbeth and yet still greater! And certainly, could it be true that his descendants could be kings, though he would not? The paradox of their words must have been maddening. Macbeth's Downfall Banquo and Macbeth each face a choice. Will they wait and let things run their course, as it were, or take the kingdom by force? Banquo chooses the former. Macbeth does not. His wife prods him to take matters into his own hands by brutally killing King Duncan and taking his place as king, though the real truth of Macbeth's part in the murder would remain hidden for some time.

Unquestioning loyalty to the throne was expected of both Banquo and Macbeth, and we see Banquo following what he knows is right. King Duncan comes to stay the night at Macbeth's house on his way back home from battle. But we see a foreshadowing of Macbeth's treachery when he tells Banquo, 'If you shall cleave to my consent, when 'tis, It shall make honor for you' (2.1). Basically, he tells Banquo that if he does what Macbeth tells him to do, Macbeth will make it worth his while. Banquo's response reveals his honest character. He says that as long as he can keep a clean conscience, he will gladly help Macbeth. Shortly after this conversation, Macbeth murders King Duncan. × What is the importance of Banquo in Shakespeare's play Macbeth? - GCSE English - Marked by Teachers.com What is the importance of Banquo in Shakespeare's play Macbeth? Extracts from this document... Introduction What is the importance of Banquo in the Shakespeare's play Macbeth? Banquo is an important character in the play Macbeth. He plays a person of integrity, honour and a man who has high morals to uphold.

Although Banquo may appear a minor character in the play as he dies early through the plot, he plays an influential part throughout the rest of the story. Some might say that when Banquo dies, he plays the part of Macbeth's conscience. William Shakespeare wrote this play for King James I in 1606. William wrote this play for James I because he knew that he would be very interested and amused by the play. James I was interested in witchcraft and killed more "witches" than any other king. The play Macbeth is deemed unlucky because the spells in the story are true. They were taken from a book called 'Demonology' which was written by King James I. The character Banquo was based on a supposed descendant of James I, but all of his qualities are based on James. At the beginning of the story, Banquo is seen as an equal to Macbeth, both valiant warriors and both honourable, courageous Thanes. ...read more. Middle At first he is not in favour of doing the deed to someone so honourable as King Duncan, but Lady Macbeth convinces him it is the right thing to do if he is to fulfil his ambitions.

Once he kills Duncan, he frames the guards outside Duncan's quarters, and he even kills them himself in front of everyone to make the illusion that he is innocent. This shows he will even risk lives of other people to cover himself up. When all of the people find out about Duncan's death, Banquo's suspicion grows even stronger, how can the witches speak true? Banquo's suspicion is shown in the following quote "Thou hast it now: King, Cawdor, Glamis, all what the weird women promis'd; and I fear, Thou play'dst most foully for't" This quote shows that Banquo is now suspicious of Macbeth, suspicious that the prophecies have not come true on their own, the have accumulated with the help of Macbeth. Even though Banquo knows about the witches, he doesn't tell anybody. There could be a number of reasons for this, one would be he is afraid of association with the witches, and if he told anyone, they may think he is crazy. ...read more. Conclusion This sends Macbeth into hysterics, he seems overcome by the sight of Banquo, but is it really Banquo? Or Macbeth's guilty conscience?

Towards the end of the story, Macbeth finds out that there are more prophecies, he cannot be killed by a man born of woman, and his reign will end when the wood of Dunsinane Hill comes towards him. After hearing this Macbeth feels immortal, unbeatable, as he has not looked far enough into the prophecies, this will bring the end of him. Firstly Macduff arrives to bring his reign to an end, as a shield, his army cut down the trees of Dunsinane and used them as a disguise. When Macbeth saw this, he froze, the prophecies were once again correct, his reign will end when Dunsisnane comes to him. But never the less, Macbeth is prepared to defend himself. In the final fight scene, Macbeth fights with Macduff, feeling immortal to the prophecies, he does not realise how Macduff was born. He was born of caesarean, and not born of woman. Now knowing this, Macbeth's ambitions are destroyed, and he is killed by Macduff.

The major part of this is that Banquo has the 'last laugh' as he is presented as the hero whilst Macbeth is shown as the villainous man he was. ...read more. The above preview is unformatted text This student written piece of work is one of many that can be found in our GCSE Macbeth section. Found what you're looking for? Start learning 29% faster today 150,000+ documents available

Question: In which Shakespeare play does Banquo's ghost appear?
Answer: Macbeth